So Put Me Where I Belong
by halfwaythere
Summary: Mom was their hero, and Dad was a nameless, faceless, jerk who walked out before they were even born. So exactly who is Troy Bolton and what does he have to do with thier mother? TxG
1. Chapter 1

_"Can't cool off you're on fire, no cold tears gonna put you out._"

Taryn's Pov:

I think he was glaring me down on purpose. Actually, I knew it. I could feel his steely grey eyes burning steadily against the side of my face, while I sat there with my legs crossed growing more and more uncomfortable underneath his surveillance. I tugged at the hem of my tank, not totally sure of what he was going to do.

I don't want to call him my ex-boyfriend, but he was. Along with being my twin brother's best friend and trusted confidant, which pretty much explained why he was always over at our house even after the break-up. It didn't help that he lived next door either, and his window was right across from mine. _ He_ was Nathaniel Collins, and he was an enormous part of East High's reigning royalty, which I was currently immersed in. I really couldn't explain why since they weren't my kind of people, but here I was, sitting with the social elites while they decided who was going to be their next victim in tomorrow's gossip menu.

"Miss Taryn Montez," Lauren Price's calm voice rang out and brought me back into their conversation, "I didn't realize you had time to tear yourself away from the books to come out and have a little fun." She smirked a little. I really wasn't that much of a book worm, I just didn't go out as much after Nathan and I were officially done.

"That's cause she found out where real learning experiences comes from," Gregory Reynolds ran his hand down his broad chest and sent a wink in my direction.

Oh god. This was not my territory at all.

Greg looked up behind me and his smirk faded, he sat down quickly, "Look man I was just…"

"I don't blame you Reynolds." Nathan jumped over the sofa and sat next to me. "I mean, it's not your fault the girl is clueless to the fact that it's winter and she should put some god damn clothes on."

I was wearing a lot more than that slut that was all over him a few minutes ago; here he was being a jerk again. I tried my best to ignore him; I crossed my arms and looked in the opposite direction.

"Who's the fucking idiot who thought it was a good idea to bring you here?" His low breath against the side of my neck. Nathan was fatally attractive, and I think that in times like these he meant to scare off all the other guys by being dangerously on edge. Reminding everyone that was present that I was still hands off.

I didn't answer him. I grabbed my sweater and LV bag, and left finding my date. I was completely over Nathan, him and his whole East High God image.

"Taryn seriously, what are you doing here," I felt his hand wrap around my arm.

"GET OFF NATE!" I spun around and almost fell into him, "Can you just leave me alone and go back to that blonde you had your hands all over?"

He bit his lip and literally scooped me up by my waist hauling me outside on the porch.

"What do you want?" I pushed off his arms and glared at him, "What's your problem?"

"What's YOUR problem?" He retort back at me, throwing himself in my face, "You were making a fucking scene in there." Nathan flung his arm out, stretching towards the front door, his index finger pointed straight into the living room.

I was the one making a scene? I knew there was a good reason we broke up, "I'm not even going to acknowledge that with a response."

"Then what are you doing here?" I hated it when he acted as if social events were only safe for him and Trey to go.

Crossing my arms, I glared back up at him and answered, "I came with someone."

It didn't seem like he caught what I said. He just stood there, his eyes still looking dangerously pissed, and then he slowly shifted. He leaned back and his glare faded. "You came with someone?"

Yeah, I was a little surprised too, considering I hadn't been out as much as I used to be. "Yes," I could hear my own voice wavering with nervousness, "so back off."

"Who'd you come with?"

"It's none of your business."

"Who?"

"She's with me." David answered calmly as he walked outside, he finished the rest of his drink and licked his lips, looked up and smiled at Nathan.

Nathan's first looked at him, and then his accusing eyes went back to me. "Son of a bitch," he let go of his arm and his fist flew across David's handsome jaw. I cringed.

* * *

"I AM NEVER GOING OUT EVER AGAIN," Gabriella's seventeen-year-old daughter announced angrily as soon as she stepped inside; she stormed up the stairs and slammed the door shut. 

Her twin brother, Trey, who currently had his mouth stuffed with cold pizza and Rockstar, turned his attention from the TV and then looked up at his mother. "She's going to regret saying that," he swallowed and turned back to the glare of the screen, "She probably ran into Nathan." He propped up his feet on the coffee table and continued in a sing song voice, "You should've let me go…" Gabriella couldn't help but laugh a little at her daughter's unknown frustrations.

"You are fully aware that you are grounded," she smacked his head softly before heading up to Taryn's room, "Feet off the table."

He responded in a grunt and begrudgingly pulled the off and back to the floor.

She shook her head and continued climbing up the stairs. "Babe? You want to talk about it?"

Taryn's door flew open and she started ranting about her night, "I wonder if people understand the term "EX"." Her face was scrunched up and upset, "You know… as it "former"?, "previous"?, "past"?..."

"Nathan?" She guessed, since he was the only boy that she'd ever been in a relationship before.

"YES." Taryn pulled off her sweater and threw it carelessly on the four-poster bed, as her mother entered her room. She turned around and looked at her mother, her piercing blue eyes that she inherited from her absentee father springing back memories that hurt more that they helped. "Want to know what he did?" The teenager peeled off her tank, "He beat up my date."

Gabriella snorted.

"MOM," her face fell in disappointment, "it's not funny!"

She covered her mouthed and contained her laughter. "Why would he do that, babe?"

She shrugged, "Cause he hates me?"

Her mother sat down on the bed, "He doesn't hate you."

She pulled on a fitted tee and collapsed back into her bed. "He hates David Nielson though," she confessed in a quieter voice.

Gabriella's eyes widened, "David Andrew Nielson?" As in Kelsi's nephew.

Her daughter nodded slowly. "You should've seen the look on his face," she pulled a pillow over her head, her voice was muffled, "He really hates me now."

She rubbed the girl's back, much like she used to when Taryn was upset from a bad day of school, or whatever happened. "He doesn't hate you… I'm sure he didn't mean it."

Taryn pushed the pillow off for a moment, and smiled sarcastically "Yeah, and I'm sure he thought how much he didn't mean it when he almost permanently dislocated David's jaw from his face."

"Is he okay?" She was starting to grow a little concerned.

The girl shrugged and pulled the pillow back over her head, "He's fine now, he just texted me a couple of minutes ago."

"Good," she answered with relief, "Maybe you should talk to him."

She sat up in a split second, "Are you kidding me?"

Gabriella shrugged, "Honey, it's not good to carry around uncharted feeli-"

"WHOA," she interrupted her mom, "There are NO feelings anymore."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever babe, feelings, baggage… whatever. You two just need to break up with each other officially, or stop playing games with one another."

"Yeah!" Sarcastic Taryn was back, "Because everyone knows how the Basketball Captain and the Valedictorian are meant to be together!" She gave her mother a tired glance and retreated back underneath the pillow.

"Wouldn't be the first time it's happened," Gabriella said inwardly to herself.

_Junior Year At UA (2011)_

"_Taylor just told me earlier that you won't talk to anyone," Chad's hand swept over his hair and he glanced at her expectantly, "Start talking."_

_She even laughed a bit at his assumptions. "I talked to her this morning," and then one of those confused smiles grew on her face, "I don't know what she's talking about."_

_He sat down, his face gave away his thoughts, knowing that it wouldn't have been that easy for her just start blabbering about her current situation with his best friend. _

"_I'm a little tired Chad," fishing for excuses to leave, she grabbed the front door's handle and was halfway in when he interrupted her. _

"… _I saw Troy with Livvy this morning in class… like. 'with' her." He shifted his eyes away and looked at the porch flooring. Sometimes she regretted her decision to go to the same college as the rest of her friends._

_God, why did he have to go there. "Yeah… well I did too," the door wouldn't budge. He had his foot in the way. "We're not dating anymore," She confessed, "It was a mistake."_

_He was appeased with that answer, actually he even more curious as to what had happen. "What… Hap-"_

"_I don't know," Gabriella cut him off, it was really the truth, she had no idea whatsoever where Troy and her had fallen apart. _

"_Why'd you guys break up with each-" He moved his foot away. _

"_Night Chad!" She plastered on a reassuring smile, "See you tomorrow at school!" _

_He pushed the door open this time and half his body was in, "Wait Gabs."_

_She bit her lip. _

"_What's going on?"_

_It was getting pretty obvious that he was as stubborn as Taylor complained about on the phone during their girl talks, "I didn't break up with Troy, your best friend decided that he was hung up on that bobble head cheerleader which resulted in him letting me go."_

_His expression didn't change, in fact his grinned a little. _

_The jerk. _

"_Come on, seriously… what happened?" _

_He didn't believe her? Gabriella was starting to grow annoyed, "You're best friend, the East High basketball god, decided that I wasn't enough for him and he broke up with me."_

_His smile faded as he started to sense that the brunette wasn't kidding. _

"_Night Cha-"_

_He grabbed and pulled her into a tight embrace, and it was as if he held some kind of magic over her emotions in that moment, because the girl actually felt like crying. She was so over Troy, She was done with him the moment that he muttered those words that always ended up in a break up, 'We need to talk.' Gabriella was even over his devilish grin that it seemed as though every girl had fought over. She was OVER Troy, but she was crying?_

"_I'm going to fix this," his arms tightened and he informed her in a steady voice. _

_She pulled her emotions back and pushed him away, Gabriella was determined not to be that overly emotionally ex-girlfriend that was going to cry over her ex-boyfriend. No matter how charming and sweet he used to be she was over it. "It's okay," the brunette faked a smile, "I don't really care anymore."_

_Chad stood there and studied her grin. He must've known that she was faking it but what did it matter, the girl was going to get over sooner or later anyway. "You do care," he countered a little nervousness in his voice._

"_Good night Chad." Gabriella finally push the front door back open and climbed my way up the stairs._

* * *

So, I've been reading a lot of HSM fic, and decided that i wanted to write one TOO! Don't worry this is a total TxG fic... well not TOTALLY because it's going to do with their kids and etc. 

Oh, and i can't take credit for that first line in italics... it's from the Midway State "Nobody Understands" hence my title... ?!

Thank's for reading! Review???


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I don't like the way you're looking at me," Gabriella held her finger up and sent him a scolding glance.

Trey scoffed and rested his head on the kitchen table. "I can't go to school today," he groaned and laid there lifelessly.

She rolled her eyes knowing that try-outs for the basketball team were later that afternoon, "I don't understand what the problem is… just join the team."

"And be a conformist to archaic high school stereotypes?" He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at his mom, "Mom, I am worth so much more than that."

She pushed the cereal box towards him, "Trevor, you are going to school and you're going to have to deal with the Coach."

He pushed himself off of the table. She just didn't understand what basketball meant for him.

"Anyway Trey, It's just basketball," she walked past him and started to pull the curlers out of her hair, "Go make sure your sister's up, I want you guys out of the house in at least thirty minutes."

With a disappointed frown, Trevor Alexander Montez turned away and grabbed his grey sweatshirt. He hated basketball. He hated that he was ridiculously good at the game, and he even hated that everything in his life almost revolved around it.

"TREY!" Taryn was still upstairs getting ready.

"What?" he half muttered, "Mom, says we gotta leave at eight."

"I can't find my cell, call my number," she appeared halfway down the stairs in an old pair of jeans and her favorite 'Paramore' band shirt.

He groaned, "Do we have to do this every morning?" Reaching into his back pocket.

"Just DO IT ALREADY!" She yelled back, running back up to find her phone.

* * *

Gabriella was in her room getting dressed as she laughed at her kids banter back and forth, first it was about Taryn's cell phone, which moved onto Trey's driving habits, then evolved into an argument about who was supposed to fill the gas tank last, and then finally a 'Bye Mom' from both of them. She pulled on her heels and checked her image back in the mirror. 

She drank the rest of her morning coffee and put the mug into the sink, grabbing her car keys and left the house, noting that Trey hadn't mowed the lawn yet, like she specifically asked him to the week before. She slowly backed up out of their driveway and let her thoughts go on as she drove to work.

Their father was someone that was rarely brought up, and maybe it was a good thing that God blessed her with kids that could read her discomfort in conversation topics like that. Whenever it would be brought up, one would usually hush up the other or change the subject and everything went back to normal. She knew that there was still a void that she couldn't fill, which worried her about being a good mother or not.

"Damn, you always have to come to work looking this good Montez?" Her boss smiled seductively as she entered the firm.

She rolled her eyes and smiled, "Good morning to you too, Ethan."

"Of course," he handed her an file full of more work, "Come by my office this afternoon, we have more business to talk." He saluted her and left.

She shook her head and made her way towards her office.

There they were in Trey's Dodge Charger. He was in the drivers seat, Nathan was in the backseat next to Taryn, who had a hard time ignoring him.

"I'm sorry I beat up your little boyfriend," he had his arms folded and stared at the profile of her face.

Trey watched them from his rear view mirror. He was forcing them to reconcile before school started this week.

His sister was a little less than cooperative, she spent the moment browsing through her phone.

"Taryn, he said he was-"

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes and pushed open the back door, letting herself out.

Nathan gave up, he eventually laid down on the backseat, "Damn, when did she get so feisty."

"I told you she was," Trey drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, "But you just had to fall for the pretty face didn't you? You just had to date her and now every thing's weird."

"Whatever, dude," He held up his fist and flexed it, studying the muscles the bulged out in his arm, "Anyway Coach Bolton is retiring, there's going to be a new coach this year… trying out?"

"Hell no," He pushed the car door open.

Nathan huffed, "Seriously man, you owe me. You have to play this year."

"Look, I can't," he popped open this trunk and grabbed his skateboard, "Not into that bullshit anymore."

His friend shook his head, "I don't even know why you quit in the first place, they were about to make you captain."

Trey shrugged, "I told you."

"Because Bolton said that you might even play better than your Dad?"

"Of my Mom's mistake," he corrected, "I don't want anything to do with the jackass."

"Troy Bolton," Nathan pushed a flyer into his hands, "Mr. MVP of the NBA world himself is coming to replacing his dad, even you can't say no to that."

"Troy Bolton? The Coach's kid?" The one player in the league that he'd looked up to as a child.

He raised his hands, "That's what I said."

Trey shrugged and stepped on his skateboard and pushed away with his left foot, "Maybe I'll check it out, but I don't know."

* * *

Troy Bolton. His name rung out high and proud, he was hero to these people, and yet he still felt like a big let down every time he was back and walking around these white and crisp hallways. 

Nothing seemed to have changed in the last twenty years. People were still treating him like a celebrity, well, maybe because he sort of was a celebrity, but still… he was the same Troy, and this was the same East High.

"Ms. Montez, may I remind you that decathlon starts today and I will be looking for you there," the overly eager teacher smiled and glanced knowingly at the girl.

Troy snapped his attention back to the brunette and watched her, the girl nodded and walked away quickly, he caught her attention for a while and took the chance to study her.

She glanced up at him strangely until one of her friends pulled her aside. "Taryn, you have got to tell me what happen… all I heard was that David was trying to rape you and Nathan rushed in to rescue you."

"That is ridiculous," she stared at them blankly, "is that what everyone else is saying?"

The cheerleader nodded and they were too far for him to hear the rest of their conversation, he watched her and pushed his thoughts back into where he was, afraid that it would lead into more dangerous memories that he would get stuck in.

"NO CELLPHONES!" Ms. Darbus's shrill voice rang through the hallway. He looked up and saw the drama teacher grabbing the Sidekick away from the student. "Detention for you, young lady."

The girl looked like an upperclassmen, she rolled her eyes and linked arms with the brunette next to her and walked away. When they were in a safe distance the girl pulled out another phone and continued texting away. Ms. Darbus shook her head and looked defeated for the moment until her eyes grew bright again.

"They will never learn will they?" He continued walking and stopped right next to her.

She glanced up at him skeptically through her red-rimmed glasses and said in the same voice she'd used when he wanted to audition for the winter musical with Gabriella during sophomore year, "Troy Bolton."

He nervously raised his arm, "Hi."

"What are you doing here?" She didn't seem as nearly excited as Principal Matsui at his arrival.

"I'm the new soccer and basketball coach." He smiled hoping she'd be a little more thrilled at his presence.

Her face fell, and so did his ego. "Great." She said in monotone, "That was what all the fuss was about this upcoming year? And yet another Bolton in the P.E. department… what in the world was Matsui thinking?" She began rambling on to herself and retreated back to her classroom.

He bit his lip and walked away, the teacher had never been too fond of him. Troy shook off his hurt ego and found the gym's doors. He dug his hands into his pockets and shuffled over to the bleachers, sitting down and staring into the emptiness of the court. And then suddenly the thought of her sprung into his head, and out of all the memories that could came to him that moment it was hers.

"_Kiss your boyfriend Gabs, because he has just led the Wildcats to their greatest moment in basketball history!" Chad Danforth lost himself in the hype, caught the beauty and pulled her into a headlock, "You SO need to marry that kid."_

"_CHAD!" she pushed him away, "You smell really bad!" Gabriella somehow wriggled her way away from him only to have another pair of arms wrap around her waist. _

"_Don't you look nice tonight?" He leaned in and whispered in her ear and looked at his best friend, "Get off my girl, man." He smiled jokingly and turned back to his girlfriend, "How do you look so perfect after a game?" _

_Gabriella pulled him away from the crowd and leaned into his lips. "I didn't cheer a lot," she answered in the kiss._

"_Well then your not a good cheerleader," he glanced at the red and white uniform skeptically and pulled her in, "You're a better distraction."_

"_Oh, is that how you're going to explain those two horrible free throws?" She laughed._

_He shrugged, "its not like we really needed them anyway right?" He inched his way closer to her soft lips again, only to be interrupted by those people that they called friends. _

"_So Zeke, what's that thing that people go in when they want a little privacy?" Sharpay and Zeke were deliberately holding a conversation rather loudly right next to them._

"_Um, I don't know Shar… away?" he played along._

"_You know, that thing that has four walls and a door?" _

_He shook his head, "Haven't got a clue…"_

"_Oh come on, You know-"_

"_A room?" being the class valedictorian, she pulled away from Troy for a bit and answered. _

"_Yeah!" Sharpay's fake smile grew wider, "You're so smart Gabriella! So GET ONE!"_

_Troy rolled his eyes and pulled Gabriella away from their group of friends, "She's just jealous that her and Zeke move so slow," he leaned and whispered into her ear, "Let's go get something to eat." _

With his eyes glued on the corner that they always met after each game he didn't see the two boys coming in from the other doors.

"So lets see if you still got it, Captain," the obvious basketball jock, passed the ball towards the other kid.

He caught the ball and pulled off his sweat shirt before driving it down the court and dunked on his friend aggressively, "How 'bout that for starters?"

"Dude, you've been practicing at night?"

Troy thought it would be time to let his presence known. He stood up and clapped his hands slowly, climbing over the bleachers to meet the boys on the court. "That was pretty good," he confessed without a smile, "You boys on the team?"

"Troy Bolton," Trey muttered under his breath.

He shook his head, "More like Coach Bolton. I'm your new head coach." He shook Nathan's hand first and paused when he caught familiarities when Trey muttered his name.

"Trey," he mumbled quietly.

"Well you're pretty good Trey," He noted the beat-up skateboard, "what position do you play."

Trey folded his arms squarely, "I don't play."

"TREY COME ON!," Taryn's voice was already there although she was no where to be seen, "Mom's going to kill you if you don't mow the lawn before she gets back."

Troy turned around and found the girl from earlier rushing into the gym. She had an annoyed face and a slightly put off tone in her voice, her frown faded when she identified the third person standing with them.

"Alright, come on," he pulled on his sweater and kicked up his board and tucked it underneath his arm, "See you later Nate… Coach." Trey pulled on her arm until she started to follow him.

"Coach? What happened to Bolton?" She asked rather loudly.

"That's his son," he explained, walking further ahead.

She exited the gym behind him, "That's why he looks so familiar…"

Troy let his eyes linger on the exit for a while until he turned and glanced at Nathan, "You play right?"

He nodded and walked away slowly, "I got to get home too."

* * *

I know it's been awhile, but here it is... anyway, I know that Troy and Trey might get confusing but theirs an explanation for that... later. 

r and r?


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